Ichungwa’s ‘red bottoms’ steal the show as Kenyans react after tough interview

The Majority Leader in the Kenyan Parliament quickly became a trending topic on X and Tiktok as he struggled to wriggle his way out of the tough spot Hassan boxed him in, appearing to be at pains to enunciate even the littlest government policies.

And as it all unfurled, one keen audience member didn't fail to notice the legislator's pricey shoes - a striking pair of Christian Louboutin's popular 'red bottoms'.

Standing to shoot a question, she made sure to point out that he looked resplendent in the footwear.

"You know that the Kenyan public is suffering. Why are politicians flaunting their wealth? And why is there wasteful use of public resources to go to a latrine or a weird bridge opening when the President claims we are having austerity measures? By the way, very nice red bottom shoes... " she said to an applause from the audience. 

While attempting to shoot down the wry compliment, Ichung'wa stated: "As I said, Kenyans are very active and participative in many engagements. Many of them are usually not true. I saw what she was referring to... Someone was flying to go open a pit latrine in Murang'a. That's absolutely untrue. Don't believe everything you read on social media... "

Quickly, Hasan shot back, "What about what they see on social media? People can see members of Parliament flaunting their cars and expensive stuff..." 

Even as he struggled to paint the government as austere, and in touch with the common mwanachi, Ichung'wa still could not escape the fact that he was wearing a shoe that cost as much as the average diabetic patient's inpatient bill.

A quick search on the official Christian Louboutin website reveals that Ichung'wa's Chambelimoc Night Strass shoe could set you back a staggering $1875 (Ksh.242, 000).

Cornered, the Kikuyu MP mumbled his way throughout the sit-down, bumbling around as Al Jazeera took him to task, throwing hard after hard questions his way.

The interview would later explode into catastrophic proportions as an evidently displeased Ichung'wa appeared to have had enough of the inglorious showdown, his exasperation being felt in his voice and posture.

Mehdi Hassan, a thoroughbred journalist famous for his tough questioning skills, kept up the tempo, knocking down the President's crony and demanding a clear explanation on many of Ichung'wa's political stances, past utterances and the general behaviour of Kenya's political class.

Questioning Ruto's hustler agenda, Mehdi pointed out, "He (Ruto) has amassed a lot of wealth during his politics. I believe he owns luxury hotels, a 2,000-acre farm a poultry farm... he has invested in hotels. Isn't that part of why Kenyans are so frustrated with their government? They see these rich elites, in charge, making money while they suffer... "

Ichung'wa explained: "Well, he was seen as an outsider, in the sense that he came from a family that was relatively unknown. Nobody knew who his father was, nobody knew who his mother was, unlike those he was competing with who came from families that were political families, who were known, wealthy backgrounds. He came as a hustler, someone who hustled his way from the bottom up... "

He added, "That's why he is seen as an outsider in terms of where he is coming from. It doesn't mean that if I was born into a family of poverty I should live and die in poverty. I also wasn't born into a very affluent family, but I am working very hard, and I work very hard, every day. The day I make it, are you going to say I am corrupt?"

The host sought clarification, "Are you talking about yourself?"

"Yeah I am also ..." The legislator replied.

And when asked how many pledges had been implemented so far, of the 280 promises President Ruto made during the campaign period, Ichung'wa said, "I will not give you a straight answer of two or 10,” prompting Hasan to say he is the first  politician “to say I will not give you a straight answer, just bluntly.”

Hasan went on to name free internet, an inquiry into cronyism and state capture, ratification of the international convention on enforced disappearances as some of the pledges that have not been fulfilled.